Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1887-05-27
JUNE ROSES.
Famous in Poetry and Song
will Add their Glorious
Beauty
To the Montana Wild Flowers
If Directions Given Below are
Obeyed.
FLOWER CULTURE.

FLOWER CULTURE.
Tho Care Of Plants-watering Subject of
Much Importance-An Unhealthy Chem
ical Condition Of the Soil, Eic.
One Of the most important opera.
tions In the successful culture Of house
plants is the proper application Of
water, especially with potted plants.
Your success depends directly upon
the skill shown in applying and with
holding the water; quite as much as
upon understanding fully the con-
stituents Of the soil. The manage
ment of successful drainage comes in
close connection with this all import.
ant one Of watering. This drainage
must be good and free; II this is not
looked after the plants will readily
show an unhealthy condition; this re-
suits chiefly from the stagnant moist
ure which is detained In the soil, and
will produce an unhealthy chemical
condition Of the soluble and gaseous
constituents Of the soil, and this will
render the mineral parts close and OBJ
structive 10 the action of both air and
water. Great care should be taken
whenever the water is applied and II
IL does not make Its way readily out
OF the pot at the bottom you can rest
assured that oil 10 not right with the
drainage. An examination should fol-
low this discovery at once In order to
ascertain what is wrong and how II
may be put to rights. In order 10
have this moistening perfect In every
detail the water must pass freely
through the soil, and the air needs TO
circulate among the roots quite rs
freely as the water. IL 10 o we'll
known fact that air 10 just as essential
an element or agent In the successful
culture of flowers as water. One is
quite a. necessary ~ the other. The
crude elements Of plant food must be
elaborated upon in order to prepare II
for absorption by the roots. One eques-
ton that is 90 frequently asked lie:
How often should plants be wstered ?
The question seems qnite simple, yet
IL Is one which no practical gardener
would dream Of putting to himself
with regard to the stock under bis
own MANAGEMENT, nor would he think
Of answering 1t In any other way than
by sayirg: "Wster them only when
dry" II must be remembered that
the atmosphere in which the plants
grow, whether 1t be that of green
house or q room, is subject to varia.
tions. particularly In respect to the
amount of moisture 1t contains. This
will always vary from day to day. de-
pending materially upon the condition
of the outer air In regard to tempera-
ture, the direction and force of the
wind, and the amount of moisture diff.
fused 10 the air. The heat Of fires OF
from other heating apparatus, will
also influence the moisture In the ali
surrounding the plants, and this will
limit or increase the evaporation 40
cording TO circumstances. To grow
plants successfully one must be very
close observer of the effects Of these
influences on the plants. 1t is only
this that guides the gardener to q
sound knowledge Of the requirements
Of his plants In regard TO water. II
will never do to rely on stated times
and rules for watering individual
plants, though one can make IL q rule
10 look over the stock every morning
or evening, or 1t may be at both per
iods, TO see that nothing may be In
jured through the want of water.
Experience will enable one at once by
a glance to ascertain the wants OF
every individual plant; but 1t would
be impossible to formulate that expe.
rience and put it in the shape Of q
short answer to the question: How
often do plants want to be watered
Plants should never be allowed to flag
or become limp for want OF water; II
must suffer more or less II II is per
mitted to do 30, and even die from
such treatment In case IL Is any Of the
hard wooded and finely-fibered sub
jects. BY close observation any one
|iuterested In the culture Of plants will
be able 10 note when they stand In
need of water long before they reach
such q condition Of dryness as would
tend to danger or hurt. Then, too
some Idea can be gained by the com
parative weight Of the pot when lifted
In the hand from day 10 day. This u
a capital test, better, perhaps, thar
trusting 10 the eye indicating the sp
psAranos Of drouth on the surface o
The SOIL which is often deceptive. Th'
A. A<rMt uwmU